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We’ve all been there. You need to buy a gift and you know the person is really into cooking — but that’s about it. But there are plenty of kitchen gadgets that hit just the right handy-utensil-you-never-knew-you-needed note. When you’re looking for gifts for home chefs, we like to look for niche tools or appliances, novelty items, and helpfully assembled sets that the receiver (probably) doesn’t already have.
Our picks for the best kitchen gifts range from the goofy (wildlife patterned knife set) to the utilitarian (food storage canisters). The right gift will obviously depend on your relationship to the receiver and the occasion, but in both cases we prioritize creative and unique picks.
Our Place Always Pan
Our Place
Bonus: it’s compatible with all cooktops (yes, induction, we’re looking at you), and conveniently includes an integrated spoon rest for the nesting beechwood spatula.
Tomorrow’s Kitchen Instant Marinator
Amazon
For grilling gurus, or just anyone who wants big flavors out of their meat without always resorting to a pressure cooker, Tomorrow Kitchen’s Instant Marinater is a simple, effective gift. It takes the fuss out of waiting hours for a marinade to sink into the meat, using a vacuum pump instead to achieve the same effect in minutes. You’ll get tender meat, fish, poultry, and veggies in around 20 minutes. The container has a 2.5L capacity, and is dishwasher safe.
MEATER+
Amazon
A one minute difference can be the difference between perfect and overdone when cooking meat on the grill, but it can be hard to get the timing just right — give the gift of perfectly cooked meat and saves someone the guesswork with Meater’s Bluetooth wireless smart thermometer.
The Meater+’s main strength is its extended range, which can keep a Bluetooth connection with your phone from up to 165 feet away. Another benefit over using a traditional thermometer is that the Meater+ factors in the fact that meat continues to cook after it’s been taken off the stove or grill. Stick the thermometer inside your meat, and you’ll receive a notification from the Meater app (iOS and Android) when it’s reached your desired temperature.
KSL Electric Salt and Pepper Grinder Set
Amazon
Sure, hand grinding salt and pepper doesn’t take a lot of physical effort, but why put in any effort at all if there’s an alternative? These electric salt and pepper mills are battery-operated with adjustable coarseness settings and a built-in light allowing you to blend up everything from Himalayan salt to dried herbs with the touch of a button. They’re a thoughtful gift for pretty much anyone who enjoys seasoned food.
Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker
Amazon
Know someone who’s really gotten into smoothie bowls after their hot yoga sessions? When you’re gifting for someone interested in upgrading your kitchen (or just on a wellness kick), this is the must-have blender of the season you should know about. Ninja Foodi’s Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor has two cup sizes (14 and 24 oz) a built-in tamper, and blends and powers through frozen foods with less liquid for perfectly thick smoothie bowls, nut butters, and blender ice cream.
Balmuda Electric Kettle
Amazon
An electric kettle is a kitchen appliance someone may not think they need, but will appreciate once they have it. And we like this sleek and stylish kettle from Balmuda.
To use it, all you need to do is pour water into its 0.6L body and set it on top of its electric heating element. Water boils more quickly in an electric kettle than on a stovetop and doesn’t create a hot surface of flame, which makes it a lot safer to use around kids.
The kettle’s precision pour spout isn’t just classy, it’s designed for the optimal pour-over flow rate for things like pour-over coffee and delicate loose-leaf teas. With looks like these, you won’t be mad about leaving this kettle on the stove top.
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Amazon
Sous vides became trendy for a good reason — because they produce perfectly prepared meals with little to zero effort on the part of the chef. The device attaches to a pot of water where you add food in a sealed bag, and cooks food by circulating heated water at a precise temperature. We like this sous vide in particular for the ease-of-use and handy pre-set controls.
If you know someone who loves to cook or experiment in the kitchen, the sous vide is a gift they will appreciate. The best part: unlike bulky countertop appliances, this “stick” tucks away easily in a drawer when not in use.
KitchenAid 6-Qt. Professional 600 Series
KitchenAid
No electric kitchen tool has earned higher recognition than KitchenAid’s stand mixers. For a splurge-worthy gift, these mixers has deserved every bit of their outstanding reputation.
We recommend the 600 Series 6 Quart mixer because it’ll handle any baking task you throw at it, from light cookie dough to dense bread dough. Three features separate KitchenAid’s mixers from the rest: power, control, and attachments.
The 575W (watt) mixer has six speed settings, which you can adjust by moving a lever on the left side of the mixer. KitchenAid includes three attachments with this mixer: a flat beater, wire whip, and dough hook. These essentials allow you to make everything from pizza dough to cake batter to whipped cream in a matter of minutes.
Pink Himalayan Salt Tequila Shot Glasses
Amazon
Thinking about gifting soem normal, everyday glassware? Yawn. These Pink Himalayan Salt Tequila Glasses are a unique, handmade gift that makes for a great holiday party conversation starter. They’ll naturally add the perfect nuanced, salty note to their favorite tequila, and they can even be used for serving small appetizers, like ceviche.
Nespresso Vertuo Next
Amazon
Nespresso’s line of award-winning coffee makers has added a new espresso machine this season, the Vertuo Next. The compact, sustainable and smart coffee maker is only 5.5 inches wide, perfect for anyone with tight kitchen counters who still needs their premium java fix.
With only the touch of one button, the machine scans the barcode of the pod and automatically adjusts the brewing methods to give you the best coffee, espresso, iced coffee, and silky crema every single time. This bundle also includes the Aeroccino3, with provides smooth hot or cold milk froth for your coffee recipes with one touch.
Elevated Craft Cocktail Shaker
Amazon
No bar cart is complete without Elevated Craft’s Cocktail Shaker. It features an airtight screw-top design that guarantees a well-balanced mix and perfect pour every single time. The top also functions as a jigger, with measurements etched onto the side. Every piece of this 28 ounce cocktail shaker has been meticulously designed to help you deliver deliver flawless drinks without much effort. If you know anyone who likes making mixed drinks at home, this should be the only gift you consider.
Brava Smart Oven
Brava
Basquettes The Everything Basket
Amazon
Basquettes are one of those kitchen gifts nobody will expect, but any home chef will appreciate The metal baskets keep food suspended above a sheet pan or large skillet, so heat penetrates all sides evenly. This ensures getting even done-ness throughout.
Basquettes packages two sets of baskets in a couple of different sizes — one best used for meat, one best used for vegetables, so you can cook an entire meal at once. One meal, and the person you gift them to will send you an all-caps THANK YOU text.
Revolution InstaGLO R180 Toaster
Revolution
Revolution’s InstaGlo R180 is a premium kitchen gift, but a wonderful present for anyone who loves breakfast. It’s capable of cooking toast, bagels, or waffles to your perfered level of toastiness whether they’re fresh or frozen. The big, responsive touch screen is more intuitive to use than dials, and the visual doneness indicators are a total game changer.
Better yet, the InstaGLO R180’s thick slots and accessories make it capable of toasting more than just bread, and this bundle contains accessories to make sandwiches and paninis. Get this as a gift, and the RevolutionGLO R180 is guaranteed to become an indispensable countertop appliance.
Kenyon G2 Grill
Kenyon
Kenyon’s G2 rebukes the idea that you can’t get true grilling done indoors, and is an absolute essential for anyone who gets bummed out once the weather gets too cold to cook outside. The grill runs on electricity, which keeps smoke to a minimum, without compromising flavor or grill marks. The handles on the sides are a favorite feature of ours because it makes the G2 easy to take off and put on a countertop, or move to another room in your home.
Every time we’ve cooked with the G2 has reminded us of why we consider Kenyon to be one of the best, and most innovative companies in cooking tech. Its philosophy — make indoor grilling simple — is encapsulated by its single-dial control; select your heat level (the G2’s instruction manual includes a handy guide to how hot it should get based on what you’re grilling), and cook. We can’t think of a better gift for those who grill.
Ooni Fyra 12
Amazon
Ooni says the Fyra 12 can make a 12-inch pie in as little as 60 seconds, but that depends on the thickness of your dough. We found 90 seconds to be a good sweet spot, making sure to rotate our pizza every 30 seconds or so.
When you’re finished cooking, the Fyra 12 is incredibly simple to clean. Let the rest of your pellets burn, and pour out the ashes from its fuel tray. Wipe down the oven’s pizza stone and chimneys with a wet paper towel, and you’re done.
Ooni’s Fyra 12 streamlines the process of pizza making in ways that makes it less intimidating to less-experienced home cooks. If a person you’re shopping for has “cook better pizza” on their list of 2022 New Year’s Resolutions, don’t miss out on this gift.
Hedley & Bennett X Grateful Dead Apron
Hedley & Bennett
Aprons are typically a function-over-form kitchen accessory, but Hedley & Bennett prove that they can look really cool, too. Its Grateful Dead collection covers your giftee with the band’s iconic dancing bears. The apron’s deep pockets are the ideal size for tongs or spatulas, and we’ve found them to feel very comfortable during long cooking sessions. Simply put: You won’t find a better (or cooler looking) apron than this.
